Internal-combustion engine



March 11, 1924,

A. L. POWELL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed Feb. 2. 1921 ill Patented lit liar. raises.

L. PGWE LL, G1 MILES CITY, MUNTANA, ASSIGHOR TO THE A. L. PGWELL POWER CO INU, 0E MIELES CITY, MONTANA, i5. I-BQDY CORPORATE.

INTEENAL-CQMBUSTION ENGITE.

Application filed February :2, 1921. Serial Ho. 441,9?5. Renewed ingest 17, 19:23.

To all whom it may; concern."

Be it known that l, ALvAn: L. POWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Miles City,in the county of Custer and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in internal combustion engines in which I effect ignition by a novel arrangement of compressing members, firing a small quancity of the intaken iiring charge in a sep arate compressing chamber, and exhausting the fired minor charge into larger combustion spaces where regular power charges are tired by the said exhaust from the smaller charge. The ignition of the lesser charge it obtain by mechanical compression, as hereinatter to be described.

In the accompanying drawings 1 show an engine equipped with my improvement. in these Fig. l is a vertical elevation, in section.

Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation in section, taken at right angles to that given in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 33.

In a cylinder, A, Fig. 1, there are two slidable pistons, A A Piston A is connected by a wrist pin, A to a rod, B said rod engaging'a crank B by a'crank pin, B. Piston A is connected by similar members, to a power shaft, not shown. At a point preferably central to the positions of said pistons there are located a piston A and piston A terminates in a male extension, A), Fig. "i, that fits, slidably, in a coun-' terbore in A The pistons A A fare normally held in the position-shown in Fig. l, by ga sprin A. In the head of A there is a valve, tting on a valve seat, as shown. A similar valve in head of iston A is indicated by Aflfiig. 1. It wil be observed that the male extension of piston A. acts as a piston in a minor chamber, (3, and that a hole runs through the piston A opening into the chamber under valve A A similar hole, G in piston A opens into chamber C and into valve space over valve A. Pins A, A9, A A in the walls of A project into an annular space piston A, A, and allow for a movement of said pistons, hereinafter described.

Assuming that a power stroke has taken place, the operation of the engine is as follows:

0n instroke of pistons A A exhaust takes place through operable valves l), D, Fig. 2. At end of this stroke pistons A A hit the lugs D D, on pistons A", A compressing spring A. At the same time the tappets on the stems of valves A A", are also pressed by the power pistons, opening said valves. @n outstrolre, that is, on suction stroke of A A valves A, A are released and the tension of spring A forces pistons A A apart. At this time operable inlet valves (Fig. 2) are open and a trash charge is being drawn in. As a condition of partial vacuum has been induced in chamber C, the valves A, A remain open for an instant, and part of the incoming fuel charge enters said space. 0n restoration or pressure equilibrium, valves A A reseat. Om compression stroke of pistons A, 29, the fresh charge is compressed. An inspection of the drawing, Fig. 1, will disclose that the total compression on the larger area of pistons A A is concentrated on an area equal to the minor diameter of A". The compression of the minor charge in C will, therefore, be much greater than that in the power combustion chambers. The chamber G, is proportioned, in depth, to make possible extremely high compression, that is, to five hundred or more pounds to the square inch. The charge within is compressed to a degree where it spontaneously explodes and this, in a properly proportioned engine, will coincide with the position of power pistons, A A at a point near extreme of instroke. The said pistons will then depress valves A, A, and the hot charge from chamber C will exhaust into both combustion chambers, igniting the charges therein at a point substantially over crank center, or beginning of outstrolre. In this way it eiiect an automatic and dependable ignition, derived from mechanically disposed members within the engine structure.

lin walls A of cylinder 1 provide breath- :ing holes, ii), to allow for movement of piemil tons A", A, Without compression in the space R Wiat I ask to have Patent is In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a power cylinder, a slidable -flower piston therein, a secondary piston aving a male extension, a piston having a here within which the said. male extension protected by Letters 10 slidahly fits, operable check valves in said;

messes sure of said. spring tends to force said pistons apart, means for introducing an explosive charge in the space between. said; check valves means for mtaking and; compressing firing charges in thep'ower cylinder, means for firing said, charges by the heat of the exhaust of the minor compressed charge, and means for transmitting power to a crank shaft, substantially as described., 20

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALVAH L. PUWELL, 

